KAMLOOPS — City council has approved funding for the addition of members to the Kamloops RCMP.
According to Supt. Brad Mueller, the Kamloops detachment is stretched to its limit.
A recent increase in violent crime and mental health related calls for service have officers responding reactively rather than proactively.
“Basically, since June of 2016, we’ve been able to demonstrate for the first time quantitatively that with our existing minimums on our watches we are no longer able to meet the service delivery requirements within the city based on the calls for service.”
According to Mueller, the Kamloops detachment is on track to spend $1.5 million on overtime for its members this year.
The city has approved an increase of RCMP funding by $525,000 in 2018, as well as increases of lesser amounts in subsequent years.
The immediate increase of funded officers will take the city from 129 to 136, but the national force still need to actually staff those positions.
